Blinken sees ‘extraordinary opportunity’ for Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement

In his remarks at the Brookings Institution, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that there is an extraordinary opportunity to sign a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“There is an extraordinary opportunity, potential to realize a peace agreement between the countries that ends decades of conflict and actually creates in the region, I think, a tremendous opportunity for economic connectivity, for economic growth, for connecting countries both east, west, north, and south. Azerbaijan has a critical role to play in that. We have invested intensely in our own – with our own diplomacy in trying to help bring Azerbaijan and Armenia to a peace agreement. We’ve done that in very close collaboration, coordination with the European Union,” he said.

Blinken noted that a peace agreement is something that “really is within reach.”

“I was speaking just about a week ago to President Aliyev on this. I think that’s achievable, and it’s manifestly in the interests of both Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the broader region,” he added.